Rough Draft

Sometimes rough drafts are really, really rough.

I was trying for a maple leaf, but this is just dismal, even by first draft standards.

But--I think I see a different shape hiding in there, trying to get out.

What do you think it is?

Motif Twenty-five+ Happy Halloween

Well, here I am, two days short of my one year challenge (I was a late bloomer). This has been a lot of fun and I expect to start over again. The Motif Challenge has been one of my favorite source of eye candy and I owe many thanks to Sharon for keeping us all posted on the many pretties to look at.

You see here Carol Amich's "Scaredy Cat" plus some odds and ends of my own devising destined for a future book.

Motif Twenty-four: Getting It Right

The motif in the upper corner is one of the small hearts from my book, Tat's Amore. Sometimes the hard part about designing is not coming up with the idea, but doing it over and over until it comes out right. Some of these have major changes from the one before and some are only one stitch different. Even after I thought I had gathered up all of these, I would come across another one. There may be still more lurking about.

Motif Twenty-three: Jane's Palmetto Frog

This is Jane Eborall's frog from Palmetto Tat Days. I had just exactly 32 red bugle beads in my mixed bead package, whew! The head is a little oversized though. My biggest beads for the eyes weren't the size called for, and I overcompensated a bit. This was quick and fun, and I'll make it again someday when I get some good beads.

Motif Twenty-two: Beaded Flip Flops in Block Tatting

Just for fun.

Motif Twentyone--A Failed Attempt

I picked up some special varigated DMC embroidery floss at Hobby Lobby a while back. I forget its name, but it had very attractive soft colors. (I separated the floss into 2 ply to tat with it.) At the same time, I got some Bead Treasures beads which are like a batch of varigated colors--blues, purple, green, bronze--all together in the tube. The beads and the thread looked great next to each other. Unfortunately, I did not choose an appropriate pattern.

If you are going to be putting beads on picots, make sure the picots are not too close together.

The beads are bumping into each other, making it hard for the piece to lie flat, and overwhelming the delicate thread color. (It looks better in the scan than real life.) On top of that, my tension was not even, so one wing is bigger than the other. This was originally supposed to be for the Palmetto competition, but I was unhappy with it and left it at home. If I ever get around to the blue jean bag challenge, this would be a good piece for that.

Not a Motif

You may have noticed my blog entries have been few and far between. Here is why--I've been busy with this new book. It's finished at last! You can go to my website to find out more:

http://www.home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-tatsamore